Renmark High School Presentation

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (15:00): My question is again to the Minister for Education Training and Skills. Minister, will the government provide counselling and support for students and families impacted by the Renmark presentation and, if so, have parents been notified directly for this opportunity?

The Hon. B.I. BOYER (Wright—Minister for Education, Training and Skills) (15:00): I thank the member for Chaffey for the question. Yes we will. I understand those offers of counselling to students have already been made. I understand that in particular some parents of those students and the students themselves have made it very clear that they felt traumatised by what they were exposed to in that presentation, and I think for that reason the offer of counselling is a very important one. I have been told that that has been made on numerous occasions.

I do not have any information at this stage for the Member for Chaffey about what the uptake of that has been like, but we will make sure that those offers are continually made. They are normally made directly through the school to parents, and I know that the principal in this case, who I might also add has made no excuses for what took place, has said upfront that it was a mistake, that the wrong thing was done and that he will seek to make sure it doesn't happen again. But he has met, I understand, with both the students who were part of the session and also their parents as well in an attempt to not only apologise, which he has done, for what took place but to try to make sure that the supports they need now by way of counselling and anything else are actually offered.